How to repot this Dendrobium?

[Dollythehun]

Cool mist humidifier might help...Just sayin'...Also, just saw Miss Orchid Girl suggest putting a few strips of micro fiber cloth in the medium to keep the basket hydrated.

[Roberta]

Laelias and Catts like to dry out - need to dry out, in fact. Misting is of no particular use. Let the water run through the basket. If it's really dry, use medium bark instead of large, water a bit more often. Once the weather warms up, outdoors is highly beneficial, they love the light and air.

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vpsihop - I suspect it's a Dendrobium phalaenopsis hybrid, and it's probably planted in very large bark with a layer of natural moss that grew over the top in the Seattle Orchids greenhouses.

I think all those aerial roots grew some time ago, when the mature, most recent growth grew, and S.O. is selling it because it needs repotting before long.

Unless you live someplace pretty warm, it's not likely to grow again until spring. I personally would leave this plant in this pot until it begins making another new vegetative growth, and has new roots about an inch / 2.5cm long. At that time you could repot it quite easily. Many Den phals don't push new roots until the new growth is quite large.

Den phals rot if kept too wet, which is why a lot of people like using very large bark chunks for them. It is also pretty easy to move a plant with wandering aerial roots into very large chunk bark without breaking them too much. You will have to stake it securely, though.

In the mean time, spray only the aerial roots with water frequently, and water the pot when it becomes dry. You will water the pot much less often than you will spray the roots.

[vpsihop@hotmail.com]

OK, so... Completely different repot than I thought. Couldn't find a shallow wide pot, so I figured the hydroton and slotted clay pot would dry quickly and provide air to the roots.

I had the hydroton from my s/h orchids, but I've never used it as a media in place of bark, I'm curious to see how this experiment goes.

I chopped part of the aerial roots off. There are some short fat new roots in there, about 1 cm long. I think it'll be alright. Gonna have to up my watering.


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[vpsihop@hotmail.com]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Cool mist humidifier might help...

Yup, have one going all winter. Keeps the area near the window around 60% humidity

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[u bada]

You can also try mounting it on a wide-ish mount that that you can then stick in a taller pot. It can then grow on the mount and the pot can retain moisture around the mount while it grows up it.

To vpsihop, what kind of den is it? Looks like some sort of cane type but depends on what it is as to how repotting will turn out. But I'll concur with Roberta and Bil various tips... it should be repotted, nows a better time than never, and I personally would go with medium size bark, orchiata if you have that stuff.

[vpsihop@hotmail.com]

It a ceasar Java candy, antelope type hybrid

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[u bada]

Oops, didn't see there was a 2nd page, so sorry...

ok, looks like mainly den phal, which in my experience and from what I've seen, mainly grow late summer through fall, possibly into winter... then can spike winter/spring but usually flower summer/fall... that said, they can grow and flower any time of the year depending on where they are grown. The stratiotes tends to start growth in spring if i remember correctly which furthers the possibility of it growing at any time of year when happy. it's a warm grower, so probably not till warm.

From your pictures, it looks like that pbs had been maturing and is now doing additional root growth. So I'd concur with estacion (with many things but) that probably waiting a bit to repot till a new growth comes out was the best way to go.

also along lines of ES, I've rotted these out a fair amount in past, so while I don't know s/h very well, I'd let it dry out considerably between waterings. The old roots especially can rot in two seconds.

that said, as long as canes stay plumb, they can rebound without a problem just may not do much until new growth commences.

[Dollythehun]

I grow several of these. All slightly different depending on exact parentage. Some get tall, some wide. All told, they are easy to tip over. I would be sure, if using a pot, to put a rhizome clip across it and as ES said, drop it into a heavier pot to keep it stable. I hate to tell on myself but, I have two of them bungie corded ( cute, petite, bungies, ES) to their shelf.

Also, they don't seem to be on the same page as to starting new growth. I have repotted out of growth season and I watch the watering very carefully.

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Bungie cords are great accessories. They come in all different colors and patterns.